Aceh widows threaten to election boycott
JAKARTA (JP): Widows who lost their husbands during a 10-year military operation in Aceh said on Monday they would boycott elections and support a referendum determining Aceh's status if their various demands were not met.
Antara reported from the capital of Banda Aceh that around 42 widows grouped in the Aceh Forum of Widows of the Military Operation met with the local council.
The group demanded the right to know the whereabouts of abducted family members and the locations of graves containing family members; the right to education for their children up to the university level; compensation for lost wages from family members who were abducted, tortured or killed; and compensation for property which was either seized or burned during the military operation.
The forum, set up in February and represented by chairwoman Nurlaila during the meeting with the council, also demanded that rights violators be tried immediately. They also rejected any new military operations.
"If the demands are not seriously responded to, the forum will reject the election on June 7 and support demands for a referendum," Nurlaila said.
Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud suggested a referendum to determine whether or not the Acehnese wanted to become a federal state, which would give them more autonomy. Students have said that total separation from Indonesia was the preferred option.
Meanwhile, Lilawangsa Military Commander Col. Johnny Wahab told The Jakarta Post from the North Aceh capital of Lhokseumawe that he was confident that military members were not involved in the violence in Idi Cut, East Aceh, while a fact-finding team of military police was still investigating it.
Six of the seven dead claimed by the military have been identified following the incident of Feb. 3, while the Iskandar Muda Legal Aid Office in Banda Aceh identified 12 last week and said Sunday that a total of 21 had been killed. Six bodies were said to have been found in the Arakundo river by residents and a diving team.
A local correspondent said the team on Monday stopped the search while the military and police, Johnny said, are still scouring the river for victims of the incident in Meunasah Blang Idi Cut, Idi Rayeuk. He denied reports that a number of people were missing after the shootings early Wednesday.
On Wednesday, an unidentified group of men reportedly opened fire after they dispersed thousands of people listening to a sermon said to be advocating a Free Aceh in a mosque.
Meanwhile, Antara quoted Aceh Governor Syamsuddin as saying Monday that the Idi Cut violence was the work of "atheists".
Police have identified four victims: Irwansyah bin Usman, 22, Hasbi Saleh, 35, Irwan bin Matsyah, 24 and Jailani Muhammad, 24. The agency reported Friday the identification of another two: Karimuddin Ibrahim, 13, and Saiful Bahri, 20. (byg)